Cyclones are enormous, destructive, and deadly storms. Satellite data show that cyclones form in low-pressure systems over temperate, tropical waters. Tropical storms can intensify and develop into cooler, windier tropical storms. A cyclone is called a cyclone when the wind speed exceeds 70 miles pe...
Cyclones are enormous, destructive, and deadly storms. Satellite data show that cyclones form in low-pressure systems over temperate, tropical waters. Tropical storms can intensify and develop into cooler, windier tropical storms. A cyclone is called a cyclone when the wind speed exceeds 70 miles per hour.
A Cyclone looks like a giant cloud disk. Thickness is 10-15 km. They can also be up to 1,000 kilometers in diameter. They consist of bands of storm clouds swirling around a very low-pressure zone called the eye of the cyclone. The wind is drawn to the cyclone's eye but cannot penetrate it. When the current reaches the sea area, it becomes powerful. They swirl around the sea, rise to the top of the clouds, and disappear.
Westerly trade winds can bring hurricanes to the mainland and cause significant damage. Wind speeds above 250 kilometers per hour cause buildings to collapse, and torrential rain and seawater sucked in by cyclones flood the entire area. Each year, hurricanes kill an average of 20,000 people worldwide.
Why are Cyclones formed?
After a brief introduction to cyclones, you may have wondered why they form or what they cause. Below we share some facts behind it.
Warm, moist air at the sea surface.
Cyclones form in areas of low pressure.
Cyclones are caused by warm air rising from the sea level.
As warm air rises, cold air flows into space.
The cold air then heats up and rises back into the atmosphere.
This process (the cyclone cycle) is continuous.
This rapid rise of hot air creates an eye at the cyclone's center. Similarly, areas of low pressure are filled with high-pressure winds.
How are Cyclones Formed?
The diagram above shows how cyclones form. The green line represents the rise of warm air, and the red arrow represents the fall of cool air. A cyclone is formed when the warm, moist air rises over the ocean. As this air moves up, a low-pressure area is formed below.
The low-pressure area is now filled with high-pressure air from the environment. The next batch of cold air, again over the ocean, becomes warm and humid and moves up. This creates a low-pressure area. The cycle continues.
This continuous cycle forms clouds in the air. As water evaporates from the ocean, more clouds form.
It leads to the formation of the Storm system. The storm and winds system spins faster and forms an eye in the center. The sight of the storm is considered the calm and clear part. The air pressure in the center of the storm is low.
The cyclones are divided into different classes depending on the strength of the winds produced.
Cyclone Categories:
Category
Wind Speed (Mi/h)
Damage of Landfall
Storm Surge (feet)
1
74 - 95
Minimal
4-5
2
96 - 110
Moderate
6-8
3
111 - 130
Extensive
9-12
4
131 - 155
Extreme
13-18
5
>155
Catastrophic
19+
Other Name of Cyclone in Different Parts of the World
Region
Name of the Cyclone
Caribbean Sea
Hurricanes
China Sea
Typhoon
Indian Ocean
Tropical Cyclones
Japan
Taifu
Northern Australia
Wily Willies
Philippi
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How and Why Cyclones are Formed?
Cyclones are enormous, destructive, and deadly storms. Satellite data show that cyclones form in
low-pressure systems over temperate, tropical waters. Tropical storms can intensify and develop
into cooler, windier tropical storms. A cyclone is called a cyclone when the wind speed exceeds 70
miles per hour.
A Cyclone looks like a giant cloud disk. Thickness is 10-15 km. They can also be up to 1,000
kilometers in diameter. They consist of bands of storm clouds swirling around a very low-pressure
zone called the eye of the cyclone. The wind is drawn to the cyclone's eye but cannot penetrate it.
When the current reaches the sea area, it becomes powerful. They swirl around the sea, rise to the
top of the clouds, and disappear.
Westerly trade winds can bring hurricanes to the mainland and cause significant damage. Wind
speeds above 250 kilometers per hour cause buildings to collapse, and torrential rain and seawater
sucked in by cyclones flood the entir e area. Each year, hurricanes kill an average of 20,000 people
worldwide.
Why are Cyclones formed?
After a brief introduction to cyclones, you may have wondered why they form or what they cause.
Below we share some facts behind it.
●Warm, moist air at the sea surface.
●Cyclones form in areas of low pressure.
●Cyclones are caused by warm air rising from the sea level.
●As warm air rises, cold air flows int o space.
●The cold air then heats up and rises back into the atmosphere.
●This process (the cyclone cycle) is continuous.
●This rapid rise of hot air creates an eye at the cyclone's center. Similarly, areas of low
pressure are filled with high-pressure winds.
How are Cyclones Formed?
The diagram above shows how cyclones form. The green line represents the rise of warm air, and the
red arrow represents the fall of cool air. A cyclone is formed when the warm, moist air rises over the
ocean. As this air moves up, a low-pressure area is formed below.
●The low-pressure area is now filled with high-pr essure air from the environment. The next
batch of cold air, again over the ocean, becomes warm and humid and moves up. This
creates a low-pressure area. The cycle continues.
●This continuous cycle forms clouds in the air. As water evaporates from the ocean, more
clouds form.
●It leads to the formation of the Storm system. Thestorm and windssystem spins faster and
forms an eye in the center. The sight of the storm is considered the calm and clear part. The
air pressure in the center of the storm is low.
●The cyclones are divided into different classes depending on the strength of the winds
produced.
Cyclone Categories:
Category Wind Speed (Mi/h)Damage of LandfallStorm Surge (feet)
1 74 - 95 Minimal 4-5
2 96 - 110 Moderate 6-8
3 111 - 130 Extensive 9-12
4 131 - 155 Extreme 13-18
5 >155 Catastrophic 19+
Other Name of Cyclone in Different Parts of the World
Region Name of the Cyclone
Caribbean Sea Hurricanes
China Sea Typhoon
Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclones
Japan Taifu
Northern Australia Wily Willies
Philippines Baguio
USA Tornados
Types of the cyclone:
These are four types of cyclone there:
●Tropical cyclone
●Polar Cyclone
●Mesocyclone
●Extratropical Cyclone
1.Tropical Cyclone:
Tropical cyclones occur in tropical seas. Hurricanes and typhoons are two types of
tropical cyclones. The Atlantic and Northeast Pacific are areas where hurricanes are
seen. On the other hand, typhoons are seen in the northwestern Pacific. Tropical
cyclones are divided into five categories based on strength and wind speed.
2.Polar Cyclone
Extreme cyclones are also known as "arctic hurricanes" in the northern hemisphere.
This is due to the energy source. Heat is transferred from water to air, and latent heat is
released in the form of cloud condensation. Extreme cyclones are difficult to predict
because they last less than 24 hours and form rapidly. They are formed in the Arctic and
Antarctic Oceans.
3.Mesocyclone
A mesocyclone is considered one of the strongest thunderstorms. Mesocyclones are in
convective storms in the form of air vortices. Air rises and rotates along a vertical axis.
The direction of this air and the low-pressure system is the same in a given hemisphere.
Mesocyclones are accompanied by rotating air within a thunderstorm.
4.Extratropical Cyclone
Cyclones formed at mid-latitudes along frontal boundaries are either extratropical or
mid-latitude cyclones. Winds in extratropical cyclones weaken. However, the
temperature gradient is steep. Nor'easter is an example of an extratropical cyclone that
hit the east coast of the United States.
Impacts of Cyclones
If you understand how a cyclone is formed, you must comprehend that it is often
accompanied by powerful winds, torrential rainfalls, and typhoon surges. These three
factors cause control to a great extent, as follows -
●Strong currents cause deterioration to infrastructure, uproots trees, and other
tragedies.
●Torrential rainfall directs to unusual floods and damage to houses and buildings.
●Due to cyclone surges, seawater levels rise, and the seaside areas are exposed
to floods.
●The rise in seawater level also deteriorates beaches and barriers.
●Extreme cyclonic storms resulting in floods can vandalize greenery and livestock.
●Due to the muscular winds and flood situations, the soil becomes infertile.
In addition, hurricanes take the lives of people, plants, and animals and affect a
country's economy.
Dangerous Zones of Cyclones in India:
India has a long coastline of 8451 km. And according to the metrological department of
India, 13 regions and union territories are prone to cyclones, which is 10% of the world’s
highest cyclone-prone areas. This is why both coastlines of India experience cyclone
storms often. Among all these locations, some states and union territories are more
vulnerable than others.
●West Bengal
●Odisha
●Tamilnadu
●Maharashtra
●Gujrat
●Andhrapradesh
●Puducherry (UT)
FAQ
Ques 1- Why is monsoon considered a unifying bond?
Ans-The termunifying bondis used about monsoons. Monsoons bind entire
countries together to provide the water needed for agricultural activities. Every year,
farmers across the country wait for monsoon season to water their crops.
Ques 2-What is Sea Breeze and Land Breeze?
Ans-Sea Breeze and Land Breezedecide the directionof the wind. Land breeze is
the wind that blows from the land to the sea. The sea breeze is the wind that blows from
the sea to the land. Land Breeze Occurs at night or early in the morning. And sea
breeze Occurs during the day.
If you want to study more about cyclones in-depth check outNCERT Solution for
Class 7 Geography.It will broaden your understandingof cyclones, Winds, storms,
and many other topics related to them.
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